Things to do with feathers

[Indigo Shimmer]

So I have recently inherited some chickens from a friend who is getting divorced and having to leave her farm. And now in addition to yummy free range eggs, I am getting free feathers whenever they molt. I keep collecting the prettiest ones, disinfecting them and then throw them in a box until I figure out what to do with them.

Then I thought that maybe I could make hairpieces for dancing from them. I didn't have a whole lot of variety in feathers, they were mostly all brown and black. But I was kinda pleased with the result.

Then my teacher, knowing how I liked blue things, gave me a big bag full of dyed blue ostrich feathers and I experimented.

So here are the results. The glitter didn't really show up well on camera and the dollar is more there to give an idea of actual size. ( The blue and red rose hairpieces came out REALLY big! Like wear it on the back of your head big! )

What do you think? Shall I keep playing around with them?

Indigo Shimmer

 

[Darshiva]

They look gorgeous. I think you'll have no trouble finding buyers for them, should you choose to do so.

 

[Shanazel]

Absolutely keep playing around with them! :clap:

My son and daughter-out-law just bought chickens so I'll have a feather source as well- hadn't thought of it until just now.

How do you disinfect feathers?

 

[Indigo Shimmer]

Its actually quite easy. Just wipe them down with clorox disinfectant wipes. The bleach in them is not strong enough to affect the colors.

( I AM planning on adding more chickens to my flock so that I can sell the eggs. Now I'm thinking about what colors I can get them in! Hmmm. A golden pheasant or a peacock would be nice. )

It might be nice to sell them someday. I still gotta bang all the kinks out of the making process. I found out with the brown one that I put absolutely the wrong hair clip on them and you should do that part LAST!

I need more feathers! Right now I've only got brown, white and black striped and the blue ostrich feathers. I need more variety. And more fabric roses in lots of colors. Lots and lots and LOTS of roses!

Hmmm. Valentine's day IS coming!

Indigo Shimmer

 

[Aniseteph]

I think the natural colours look best.

You'll know you've taken it too far whan you wonder how a peacock would fit in with the chickens.

 

[Indigo Shimmer]

I'd LOVE a peacock! Hubby doesn't want the noise.

Also, they can be destructive. I used to take riding lessons from this old lady who was a real horse whisperer. She had a mess a chickens around the stable to spook proof the crazy Thoroughbreds that came off the track. And she had one lonely peacock. He used to admire himself in the hubcaps of cars----and climb on the hood of every vehicle that came up the driveway. The lady who drove the Hummer was none too pleased about this!

Indigo Shimmer

 

[Shanazel]

Get white chickens and paint the feathers with fabric dye.

A neighbor had peacocks a couple hundred yards away from our house. I didn't mind the noise at that distance but any closer might've been harder to take.

 

[Indigo Shimmer]

Try doing this craft with an insane Turkish Angora kitten hanging about! She knows the box the feathers live in and when I start fiddling with them, I have to watch her like a hawk or she will run off with the piece while the glue is still drying!

Indigo Shimmer

 

[Shanazel]

Oh, I understand the challenges posed by working with cats in the vicinity. We're down to only five kitties and the "kittens" are 16 years old but they are still fond of playing with whatever materials I'm using.

 

[Ariadne]

"Things to do with feathers" :think:

Well you could send them to me.

Those natural ones are gorgeous! I would totally keep playing around with them if I was you. Have you considered trying any steampunk elements with them? The black and brown would go great with that style.

 

[Tiziri]

Those look great!

I love feathers. I'm a compulsive feather-picker-upper. But since in the US it's illegal to own the feathers of any migratory bird...every time I think "Ooh! A mockingbird feather! A few of those would make a nice fascinator!" I have to reluctantly put the feather I compulsively picked up back down. Alas. (Incidentally, the Migratory Bird laws were created because of overhunting...for feathers for women's hats.) I'm going to just have to shape and dye some chicken feathers to make a faux-mockingbird (or whichever) fascinator.

So I envy you your legal source of free feathers! Have you thought about dyeing some of the white feathers?

 

[AndreaSTL]

What you've made so far is beautiful! Definitely keep noodling around and experimenting. Heck, you've got a good supply so even if something doesn't work out you're not out a ton of money. I agree with everyone else that you should try dying some of them.